Alaskan woman charged after allegedly hiding juvenile from being taken into state custody in Monongalia County

An Alaskan woman, Laura Jensen, has been charged with kidnapping after allegedly concealing a juvenile from state custody in Monongalia County. The incident began when Child Protective Services notified the Monongalia County Sheriff's Department on February 5 about a missing youth, for whom an emergency custody order had been issued.

Deputies discovered that the juvenile had been spotted at a hotel with Jensen, 42, from Anchorage, Alaska. Upon contacting Jensen, she claimed that the juvenile had flown back to Alaska the previous day, but this statement raised suspicions among the authorities.

To verify the juvenile's whereabouts, deputies accessed the child’s TikTok account, leading them to discover the juvenile was actually at a different hotel on Grafton Road. When deputies arrived there, they spoke with a person who noted that Jensen had vanished during the evening, implying she was aware of the juvenile's location and intentionally withheld information.

As a result of her actions, Jensen has been charged with kidnapping and is currently being held at North Central Regional Jail on a $50,000 bond. The case highlights the complexities surrounding child custody issues and the role of law enforcement in protecting minors.

This incident is a reminder of the serious legal implications of obstructing child welfare processes, as authorities work diligently to ensure the safety and well-being of vulnerable individuals.